1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to hybrid electric vehicles having an inverter system controller module as part of their powertrain, and more specifically to a structure for supporting an inverter system controller module in an engine compartment.
2. Background Art
As automakers attempt to increase the numbers of vehicles having an electric and hybrid electric powertrain, some effort has been made to retrofit such an electric or hybrid powertrain into an existing vehicle platform that was originally designed around a conventional internal combustion engine. To avoid manufacturing complexity and associated increases in weight and cost, vehicle manufacturers will usually attempt to implement a platform-sharing strategy wherein a maximum practical amount of the original, conventionally powered vehicle is carried-over into the electric/hybrid version of a vehicle. Packaging of a electric/hybrid vehicle powertrain in a vehicle platform originally designed for an internal combustion engine is challenging because of the differences in size and required configuration of the powertrain components.
Several types of electric/hybrid powertrains include an inverter system controller module (ISCM) which converts high voltage DC power stored in the battery into high voltage AC power used by the electric machines in the electric/hybrid transmission. The ISCM is typically slightly larger than a conventional 14-volt automotive battery and typically weighs approximately 20 kg. In some systems, the ISCM is attached directly to the hybrid transmission housing and the combined unit is mounted in the engine compartment. For flexibility in packaging as well as for other reasons, it may be advantageous to separate the ISCM from the hybrid transmission. Such a decoupling presents the challenge of having to support the independent ISCM in an already limited space package environment within the engine compartment of a carryover body structure, and to do so without compromising safety, durability, NVH, and at an efficient cost and weight.